The Minehead RNLI is urging visitors to be more cautious when visiting beaches near the Bristol Channel.

Two lifeboats were dispatched by the lifeboats institute yesterday evening (August 22) to rescue two stranded members of the public.

The first person, a 38-year old man from Gillingham, Dorest, had walked along the beach at East Quantoxhead, near Watchet, but after stopping for a sandwich break, he found himself trapped at the foot of cliffs.

Despite poor mobile reception, he managed to text his girlfriend who alerted lifeguards to rescue him. A local fishing boat observed him and directed the volunteer lifeguards to the trapped man.

Later a 23-year-old woman who set off for a relaxing swim off Bossington Beach had been carried by strong currents onto the rocks underneath 800 foot cliffs. Clinging onto nearby rocks, a lifeguard swam 50 yards with a line to save the trapped swimmer.

Shortly after trip, helmsman Richard Gay said the woman was in a horrific situation.

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“She was wearing a wetsuit so she wasn’t too cold. But the tide had just ripped her out of the bay and swept her in among the rocks. She ended up hanging on in the middle of a massive whirlpool. There’s no way she could have got out of there with the tide running like it was.

“When we got her out she was very shaken up - and very grateful.”

Following the two rescues, Minehead RNLI chairman Bryan Stoner said both casualties had been “extremely fortunate” and urged beach visitors to be more careful, stating: “We are getting a steady stream of calls like this where people just don’t realise the force and magnitude of the tides in the Bristol Channel and how quickly a swim or a walk can put them in a really perilous situation.”

“Thankfully we have not yet had to deal with any fatalities, but as these two incidents show people have had some very narrow escapes.

“We don’t want to discourage people from enjoying this beautiful piece of coastline but we really feel more needs to be done to highlight just how dangerous it can be, particularly when big tides are running."